The DTV transition: Get the gear you might need soon

This Sunday, it will be exactly one year until TV broadcasts go all-digital, and the action is starting to pick up. Uncle Sam, electronics manufacturers and retailers, and consumers are gearing up for the day analog TV broadcasts cease—Feb. 17, 2009. Here are the latest developments:

Coupons going fast; don't miss out. On Tuesday, Feb. 19, the government will mail the first batch of coupons to consumers who requested help paying for a digital converter box. These boxes will enable analog TVs to accept digital signals pulled in by an antenna. Each household can request one or two $40 coupons. The coupons, which look like plastic gift cards (see the sample image on the right), expire 90 days after they're issued.

[April 7, 2008 UPDATE: Concerned about the expiration date on your converter coupons? Check out our latest post, DTV converter coupons: It's now or never, which also features a link to "share your story" with HearUsNow.org, the consumer advocacy arm of Consumers Union, our parent company. —Ed.]

As of Feb. 14, the government had received applications for nearly 5 million coupons—almost one-fourth of the 22,250,000 coupons available to any household. When those are gone, another 11,250,000 million will be offered, but only to households that depend solely on an antenna for TV signals. If you subscribe to cable or satellite service for some TVs but have other sets that use an antenna, apply before the unrestricted coupons are gone. Visit www.dtv2009.gov to apply online or to get a form that can be mailed or faxed (you'll need Adobe Acrobat software), or call 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).

Converters arriving in stores. The first digital converter boxes are arriving in stores now. Independent retailers and major chains including Best Buy, Circuit City, Kmart, RadioShack, Sam's Club, Sears, Target, and Wal-Mart will sell the boxes, which cost about $40 to $70, and have agreed to accept coupons.

Wal-Mart has already started to sell the Magnavox TB100MW9 for $50. (Click on the image at left for a closer look.) Best Buy and Circuit City have pledged to have converters in all stores by this Sunday, Feb. 17, and some of their locations already have them. (We purchased one and will post a review of the Magnavox digital TV converter box soon.)

Most of these retailers won't let you purchase a converter online, though NTIA said it will list online retailers on www.dtv2009.gov shortly. You can also plug in your address and find a local converter box retailer at: https://www.dtv2009.gov/VendorSearch.aspx.

You can apply a coupon only toward converter boxes that have been approved by the government. At press time, 37 models were approved. You'll find the list of approved converter box models on the NTIA web site: https://www.ntiadtv.gov/cecb_list.cfm.

What to expect when you shop. Be prepared for some confusion when you go shopping. In one store, a clerk advised our reporter not to worry about the cutoff, as it was a year away—bad advice for those who want to order a coupon before they're gone and use it before it expires. When we phoned another store, a clerk told us converter boxes were sold out. She wasn't sure when more units would be arriving and wasn't aware of the coupon program. Only in one instance did we receive correct information from a salesperson. So bone up on the DTV transition information you need to know before you head out to shop.

Check back here in coming days for ongoing coverage, including advice on antennas and reviews of converter boxes, and visit our DTV Transition hub for more information.

—Nick Mandle

Comments

[everett whitney]

To "John Whiting - 06 March - "

Current Antenna ?

The existing antenna will Only function w/ Federal Convertors IF it now will pick up channels on your Tv from # 14 upwards - i.e. - UHF band. Some antenna do, since they are both "VHF / UHV."

It must use a coax lead or cable as well.

Otherwise, it will need to be replaced w/ one that does receive Digital or UHF. There are many different antenna - only one but an appropriate model is the Channel Master 4228, available thru www.solidsignal.com

[Jim]

Hello,
I went looking for a Converter Box on Saturday March 15 and even though the sales associate stated that the staff was trained, there is much misinformation on their part. Here is some of the issues I ran across:

1. DTV is a year off, so you do not need a box now.
2. Take this leaflet and apply for the $40.00 rebate. (It was the Application for the COUPON and not the REBATE).
3. I asked what signal comes out of the RF Out from the box. I never received an understandable answer (see my research below).
4. I inquired about "low-power" over-the-air broadcast stations and was told that all station are going digital Feb. 2009. Not so --- see

http://www.hearusnow.org/tvradio/12/
"Complicating matters further, more than 2,600 so-called "low-power" television broadcasters will be allowed to continue broadcasting their signals in analog. To continue receiving that programming, consumers will have to purchase SPECIAL converter boxes that will allow analog signals to pass through to analog TV sets." (There are two such UHF channels in the Chicago Market, that I watch.)

Check here for a list of Low Power TV stations: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/LPTVmap.html

Check here: https://www.ntiadtv.gov/cecb_list.cfm to find a box with analog pass-through (any box with an asterisk), then call local retailers to check availability.

To learn about one of the BOXES I was able to go to the Insignia Web site for the NS-DXA1(Best Buy offering) www.insignia-products.com/ and search on the "NS-DXA1" and then was able to download the product manual to gleem some information as to the functionality and features of the box.

Q: Has any one received the $40.00 Coupons? I ordered one on January 30 --- Nothing yet?

Good Luck!

[Mike]

One simple issue... Is there a quality comparison of the converter boxes that are on the market?? Such as which ones have the best reception?? Some TV sets have better reception than others... I can only imagine these converter boxes will have the same issue. This is extremely important to me since I live in a very remote area.

[j spriet]

I am researching the new converter boxes. The magnavox at Walmart is the cheapest so far but according to the directions it does not allow operation of the TV and it only changes channels on the converter box. So I would still need my old tv remote to operate the tv on/off and volume. are there better options?

[madmatt2024]

Yes, digital signals are already being broadcast and you can receive them with your converter box right now.
Yes, any antenna you are currently using will work with the converter boxes and receive digital signals.

[John Whiting]

Q-1: Will the boxes function Now, or do we wait until the conversion date to connect them?

Q-2: Will our current Antenna work in conjunction with the New Converter Box?

[madmatt2024]

If you plan on keeping your digital cable then no, you won't need converter boxes for those tvs. If you plan on receiving tv signals over the air with an antenna than you will need a converter box.

[robert]

i have one tv that is an hdtv connected to a hd cable box,my other two tv's are analog and are connected to digital cable boxes, my question is will i need converter boxes for these two tv's when they switch over to hdtv on 2-19-09.

[Neil]

Does Canada have some sort of rebate or coupon to get a converter box. The web site www.dtv2009.gov is for the U.S. only.

Thanks

[Bill Sharpe]

Hello;

If your thinking of forgoing the converter box because you have cable. You may wish to rethink your personnel strategy. Cable companies plan to go all digital in the near future leaving analog behind. And of course digital cable is more expensive.
Remember that these inexpensive boxes bring you more free over the air channel choices. Channels that are more likely to have local content.
Once again, give digital diversity a second thought. You'll be glad you did.
Bill

[Stephen Markovich]

One issue with this conversion that has received little attention is analog, battery-powered TV's. I have three that I keep in case of a power outage during an emergency. Since, I believe, that the converters require electric power to operate, these battery-powered TV's will be useless during an emergency that is accompanied by the lack of electricity. I have also used these for camping where there was no electricity available. I only saw one FAQ somewhere that stated that there were no plans by any company to manufacture battery-powered converters.

When the Washington DC area was hit by the remnants of Hurricane Isabel a few years ago, I was happy to have my analog, battery-powered TV's to not only keep up with the progress and impact of the storm but also for entertainment since we were without power for 23 hrs. Many in the area went without power for days.

I scoured the internet for battery-powered TV's with the requisite digital tuner built-in but they are difficult to find and are several hundred dollars each. Don't even try to find a black and white one with a digital tuner.

So, I guess the result will be that millions of battery-powered, analog TV's will end up in the county's land and many of us will not have TV during an emergency or power outage.

[Paul Eng]

Maya,

To apply for the converter box coupon, go to:

http://www.dtv2009.gov

As we stated in our post, at that Web site, you can apply online or download a printable, mail-in application form.

Or, you can call toll-free :

1-888-388-2009

—Paul Eng, Sr. Web Editor

[Maya Baumgardner]

Where do we apply for the coupons? Tank you.